Apparatus for reclaiming material such as powder or flock



Aug. 2o, 1940. 1 wfa'THOMPs'oN 2,211,800

APPARATUS FOR RECLAIMING MATERIAL SUCH S POWDER 0R FLOCK 4 Sheets-Sheetl Aug. 2o, 1940.

W. B. THOMPSON APPARATUS FOR RECLAIMING MATERIAL SUCH As POWDER 0R FLOCKFiled April 5, 1937 4 sheets-Sheet 2 78 lime/Maf /0/ #qw 6. Mayan @M W.B. THOMPSON 1 Aug. 20, 1940.

APPARATUS FOR RECLAIMING MATERIAL. SUCH AS POWDER OR FLOCK 4Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed AprilV 5, 1957 Aug- 20, 1940. w. B. THOMPSON2,211,800

APPARATUS FOR RECLAIMING MATERIAL SUCH S'POWDER OR FLOCK Filed April 5,1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Inf/@afar WWMW y @MQGM Patented Aug. 20, 1940UNITED STATES ,niet

PATENT FHCE APPARATUS FOR RECLAIMING MATERIAL SUCH AS POVVDEROR FLOCKApplication April 3, 1937, Serial No. 134,845

9 Claims.

The present invention relates to the reclaiming and cleaning ofcomminuted material such as powder or flock to render it fit for re-useafter it has been sprayed or otherwise directed at an 5 object, has notadheredthereto, and has become contaminated with impurities which wouldcause a finish to be dirty or otherwise defective.

In numerous vflock applying operations flock of various kindsfsuch ascomminuted wool, silk, rayon, lor cotton fibres, or the like orcellophane fiock, mica ock, or the like, is discharged against an objecthaving on its surface or surfaces a moist film of adhesive to which itis intended that the fiock should adhere. As the flock is discharged itspreads out, some of the particles striking the object to be coated anda considerable portion of them not striking the object at all. For agiven flock applying operation this flock which does not striketheobject is, of course, wasted, but in addition, not even all the flockwhich strikes the object adheres to it. When the surface to be coated issubstantially normal to the direction of flock discharge, a relativelylarge amount of flock that contacts the object adheres 25 thereto, butwhen the surface is not substantially normal to the direction of flockdischarge, a relatively large lamount of the flock that contacts theobject glances therefrom and mingles with the free particles of flock inthe surrounding atmosphere. This last statement is true both when theflock strikes the adhesive coating and when the flock discharge is usedto remove mounds in previously applied flock, as noted at page 3, leftcolumn, lines BJB, of my Patent No. 2,064,505, December 15, 1936.

Since a great part of a given quantity of flock discharged at an objectto be coated either does not strike the object or glances therefrom andsince flocks of Various kinds are relatively ex- .1, n pensive, it iscustomary as a matter of economy to perform the applying operationeither within a suitable booth or at the mouth of one, the excessmaterial. being collected in the booth for reuse or being conveyedtherefrom to a remote point .45 of collection. As a result ofdischarging flock within or into a booth, parts or surfaces thereofbecome covered with a layer of flock which adheres tc foreign matter onthese surfaces or gathers impurities from the air. This resultsI in 5oproduction of lumps or heterogeneous masses which, if not removed beforethe flock is reapplied to an object, would cause the finish thereon tobe uneven and lumpy.

It should be pointed out, however, that partly 55 because of the verylightness of flock particles,

which renders them easily disturbed by air currents in theirenvironment, and partly because as a practical matter ocking cannot becarried out under ideal conditions, it frequently happens that not allthe excess flock is taken up by a booth. Some of the flock becomesscattered to the floor, surrounding walls, ceilings, beams, or otherobjects in the room, where it collects in considerable quantity. Ingathering up such nook it is swept or` brushed from the floor, etc.

and as a result particles of foreign matter, broom,

bristles, etc. become mixed with the flock, all of which obviously wouldserve to render impossible the production of a smooth and even flockfinish on an object when this flock is ire-applied to an object.

As those who use i'ock well know, even in its dry state it tends to ballup or to cling to what ever it contacts, but there is a further factorin flock application which augments this balling up and clingingtendency. In glancing from a moist, adhesive-coated surface, thescattered ock particles carry some of the adhesive with them, and as aconsequence these particles become attached to other particles in theair with which they collide. y The result is the production of lumps offlock the particles of which are adhesively bonded together. Inasmuch asthese bonded lumps mingle with the remainder of the excess flock whichis collected for re-use, it will be seen that these lumps assume theundesirable status of broom particles, bristles, or other foreign matterwhich must be removed before the flock is re-applied if the finish onthe work is not to be uneven and lumpy, for these adhesive-bonded lumpsare just as deleterious as are particles of any foreign matter to theproduction of a smooth and even fiock nish.

It being desirable to save and re-use the flock which is in excess asthe result of an applying operation, and as such used flock tends forvarious reasons to contain impurities or formations which cause thefinish on the article being coated to be uneven and lumpy, it is theprincipal object of the present invention to provide an apparatus bywhich comminuted material such as flock or powder can be rid of foreignparticles or lumps in an easy, rapid, and efcient manner. It is afurther object of the present invention to provide an apparatus forthisy purpose such that large quantities of the contaminated materialcan be reclaimed and such that the reclaiming operation can be carriedon continuously, additional quantities of material being introduced intoVthe apparatus as desired without requiring the stoppage of itsoperation.

To the accomplishment of these objects and such others as mayhereinafter appear, the various features of the present invention residein certain constructions, combinations, and arrangements of parts fullyset forth hereinafter and then pointed out broadly and in detail in theappended claims, possessing advantages which will be readily apparent tothose skilled in the art.

The various features of the present invention will be readily understoodfrom inspection of the accompanying drawings, illustrating the bestphysical embodiment of the invention at present known to the inventor,in which:

Figure l is a view in front elevation of the reclaiming apparatus;

Fig. 2 is a view in left side elevation of the apparatus shown in Fig.1;

Fig. 3 is a view in right side elevation of the apparatus shown in Fig.l:

Fig. 4 is a view of the apparatus in plan, partially in section, takenalong the line 4 4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail view in front elevation from Fig. 1 showingthe screen agitating means;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail view in left side elevation from Fig. 2,partially in section, showing the cam actuation of the screen agitationmeans; and

Fig, 7 is an enlarged detail view in plan of a portion of the screenagita-ting means.

The illustrated embodiment of the present invention is shown only forpurposes of disclosure as embodied With the flock applying apparaturedisclosed in my Patent No. 2,194,487, granted March 26, 1940. I wish tobe distinctly understood as not meaning that the present invention islimited to such embodiment, for a reading of the following specificationand claims will make itclear that said flock applyingapparatus is hereutilized only as one means for directing the material to be reclaimed tothe remainder of the apparatus with which the present invention isprimarily concerned. The present invention is here shown as embodiedwith said flock applying apparatus merely because of the resultingfacility in disclosure and because the arrangement provides an increasedutility for the flock applying apparatus.

Referring to the drawings, the illustrated embodiment of the presentinvention is provided with suitably braced upright frame members 4l(Figs 1, 2, and 3) which support a container comprising an upper orentrance portion 42 open at its top and bottom and a lower or hopperportion 43 the top of which forms an open continuation of the bottom ofthe entrance portion 42. The front and rear walls 44 and 45,respectively, of the hopper i3 converge downwardly and merge in arounded bottom 46 (Fig. 3) and the side walls (il of the hopper arevertical. The front wall 48 of the entrance portion 42 is verticalthroughout, while its rear wall i9 extends vertically from the hopperI6, then rearwardly and upwardly (Figs. 2 and 3) and then verticallyagain to terminate substantially at the level of the front wall 48.

The container comprising the entrance portion d2 and the hopper 43receives the powder, flock, 0r other comminuted or finely dividedmaterial to be reclaimed, and since it is intended, as explainedhereinafter, that the material be discharged from an outlet at thebottom of the container into an entraining air current, means isprovided for constantly stirring up and agitating the material in thecontainer to insure its even and continuous passage to the roundedbottom 59. Experience has shown that when the outlet from a hopper intoan entraining air current is at the bottom of the hopper, and thereforeat the bottom of the quantity of the material to be let out, gravityalone cannot safely be relied upon to insure the continuous and even owof nely divided matter from the outlet.

To insure that the hopper bottom is supplied with material in an evenand continuous manner for the above-stated purpose, the hopper isprovided with a series of six horizontal shafts 50 (Figs. 2 and 4) whichare journaled in the side Walls 47. This shaft construction is the sameas that disclosed in my said Patent No, 2,194,487 and functions in thesame way to support T- shaped agitators 5l for rotative movement, therebeing three agitators 5l on each shaft. By reason of this constructionit will be seen that 18 agitators are provided extending throughout thehopper generally and functioning, when the shafts 5G rotate, tothoroughly agitate and stir up the material in the hopper and cause itto descend to the bottom thereof without interruption.

It is preferred that the agitators 5| be rotated simultaneously andcontinuously, and for this purpose the right hand end of each shaft 5Uoutside the hopper is provided with a gear 52 fixed thereto and adaptedto mesh with the links of an endless chain 53 (Fig. 3). A gear 54 (Fig.3) journaled to the lower portion of the hopper also meshes with thelinks of the chain 53, the purpose of this gear 54 being explainedhereinafter. One of the shaft-s 55 is provided on its left hand end witha pulley (not shown) fast thereon which is caused to rotate by means ofa belt driven by an electric motor 55 (Figs. 1, 2, and 3), and by reasonof this construction the gears 52 and 54 are caused to rotatesimultaneously, resulting in the simultaneous rotation of the shafts 50and the agitators 5i. The gears 52 and 54 and the chain 53 are concealedby a safety cover 56 and the pulley and the belt may be provided with asafety cover 5?.

The construction so far described is substantially the same as thatdisclosed in my said Patent No. 2,194,487 and provides power actuatedagitators for maintaining the material in the hopper 43 in a stirred upcondition so that as fast as material leaves the hopper from the outletin its rounded bottom (i6, as will be presently described, more materialdescends to take the place of that which has passed out the outlet.

In order to provide for the transfer of material from the hopper 43, therounded bottom 2l) thereof is, as more fully set forth in my said PatentNo. 2,194,487 provided at the base of the front wall .14 with ahorizontal slot 58 (Fig. 4) through which the material may pass from thehopper. In order to insure the positive transfer of material from thehopper into the slot 58 a rotatable brush construction is provided fordriving and sweeping the material across and into the slot. This brushconstruction is the same as that shown in my said Patent No. 2,194,487,and for purposes of disclosure here may be said to be provided with abrush rod 60 (Fig. 4) operatively connected to the gear 54 abovereferred to, the brush rod 6U being provided with bristle clusters 6l(Fig. 4) of such length as to engage the rounded bottom i6 of the hopper43 and the face of the hopper wall M .about the slot 53. With this`arrangement the brush .construction rotates with the agitato-rs 5l andin .addition .to further agitating the material in the hopper i3 sweepsit across and into the slot 58.

It is intended that the material passing into the slot 58 be received bya horizontal tube or conduit portion (Fig. l) supported across the baseof the front hopper wall 'llt so as to cover the slot 5B, and as isshown in detail in my said Patent No, 2,194,487, the portion of the tubeSlv covering the slot 58 is provided with spaced horizontal slots which.are aligned withthe slot 58, so as to form passages into the tube '6lfrom the hopper 43.

In order that the material entering the tube l2 from the slot 58 beair-entrained in the tube and thus be discharged therefrom and from theapparatus, the central portion o f the tube 6l opposite the portionthereof abutting the hopper wall 14 is provided with an opening E2 (Fig.l), and intersectingly of the opening the tube Si is provided with acircular transverse partition 63, las disclosed in my said Patent No.2,194,487. The partition 53 thus divides the tube 6l and the opening 62-into two parts.

The opposite ends of the tube $2 form outlets and are suitably connectedto the intake ends of suitable exhaust fans or blowers t@ and 65 ofstandard construction which may be connected` to a source of power (no-tshown) such as electricity, and the discharge ends of the blowers areconnected by nipples (it and 6l', respectively, to lengths of tubing 68and tt, the free ends vof which are provided with nozzles Tt and il,respectively.

By reason of this construction, viewing Fig. 1, it will be seen thatwhen the blower 6, for example, is in operation, a condition ofunbalanced air pressure is established within the tube 5i between theportion of the opening 52 to the left of the partition t3 and the lefthand end or the tube Gl, the air entering the opening 62 from theatmosphere and moving in a current towards the left hand end of thetube. The ventraining action of a current of air upon ilock, powder,etc. in its path being well known, it will be apparent that any materialthat enters the left hand half of the tube Si from the hopper 15:3 isentrained by the air current set up by the blower t4 and is drawnthrough the left hand part of the tube 6l, the tubing G8, and itsdischarge nozzle it. Precisely the same operation takes place with re'-spect to the element associated with the tube 6l to the right oi thepartition b3, viewing Fig.v l,

when the blower @li is in operation.

In order to permit or to prevent the transfer or" material into the tube5i from the hopper bottom through the siot 58, the tube tl providedinteriorly with a pair of sleeves which are fully ydisclosed in my saidPatent No. 2,194,487 and are located one on each side of the partition(i2 and are associated with the slots formed in the tube 6! in alignmentwith the hopper slot 53. The sleeves t the tube iii loosely enoughtopermit their sliding along the tube, but snugly enough so as to formwith the slots therein effective valves for preventing, when desired,the flow of material into the tube while the blowers S4 and 65 are inoperation.

In order to slide the sleeves` in the tube 6 l each is provided (Fig, l)with a depending lug 12 which fits and extends through an associatedlongitudinal slot formed inthe bottom of the tube 6i. Each sleeve ismoved by itsown moving means independently of the other, and thesemoving means are of corresponding-construction Referring to Fig. l, eachlug 'i2 is pivotally and slidably connected to the upper yoked end of apivoted bell crank lever 13, while the other arm of.

the bell crank lever i3 is pivotally secured to the upper end of a link'M the lower end of which is pivotally secure-d to one end of a leverl5. Through suitable shaft and lever connections herein shown in thedrawings and fully described in my said Patent No. 2,194,487, the otherend of each lever 'l5 is connected to a treadle lever 'it having a pedalTl, and with this construction when either pedal 'il is depressed theassociated bell crank lever i3 moves the associated lug 72 and sleeveoutwardly (Fig. l) so that the hopper slot 58 and the associated slot inthe tube El are uncovered.

In order to retract the pedals 'll from their depressed condition, thatis, in order to maintain each pedal VI normally elevated and thereforemaintain the sleeves within the tube 6l normally in slot-coveringposition, coil springs 'i8 and 'I9 are provided to maintain each pedalil normally elevated and each bell crank lever 'I3 normally in theposition shown in Fig. 1.

yTo summarize the operation of the structure described thus far, it willbe appreciated that the container formed by the entrance portion d2 andthe hopper 43 is first iilled with the contaminated material which is tobe reclaimed, this material extending substantially from the top to thebottom of the container and burying, as it were, the agitators 5I andthe brush 59-6t- No material passes into either half of the tube 6lsince the slots therein lare closed by the sleeves which are held inposition by reason, ultimately, of the springs 'f8 and T9. The motor 35is connected to electric current, causing the shafts 59, the agitators5I, and the brush`59-6 to rotate so that the mass of material in thehopper d3 is at once agitated and stirred by th-e yagitators 5| and isfurther stirred and agitated bythe brush 59-5llrfhe operator thenconnects the blower Gli, for example, to electric current, therebycausing the blower to establish a condition of unbalanced air pressurebetween the portion of the opening E32 leading into the left half (Fig,l) of the tube El on one hand and the associated end of the tube 6I onthe other hand, or more comprehensively, on the nozzle lll carried bythe tubing 38.

The apparatus is thus in. readiness to cause material to be withdrawnfrom the hopper 43 and be discharged from the nozzle l in order to bereclaimed. To achieve this discharge, the operator depresses the lefthand pedal 'il whereupon the sleeve associated therewith is moved to theleft, viewing Fig, l, causing the passage between the hopper i3 and theleft hand portion of the tube El to be uncovered with the result thatthe material in the hopper t3 is driven by the brush 59-8@ through thepassage and into the left half of the tube Si. As soon as the materialenters the tube Si it is entrained by the air current therein and isdischarged from the nozzle 'l0 by the air issuing therefrom.

The above description of the operation oi the apparatus applies to thedischarge of material from the left half of the tube t! and the nozzle7D, but in view of the structure that has been described it will be seenthat this description of operation applies also to the discharge ofmaterial from the right half of the tube 6i and the nozzle ll.

In order to adapt the above described apparatus for use in reclaimingcontaminated material, the side walls of the container entrance portion42 do not terminate upwardly at the level of the top of the front wall48 thereof, as is the case in the disclosure of my said Patent No.2,194,487, but continue thereabove, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, to formthe side walls Si! of a chamber 8| provided with a top 82. The chamber8| extends over the hopper i3 and the entrance portion 42, from side toside and from front to back of the latter, and has an open front and anopen back.

It is contemplated that there be associated with the chamber 8| suitablemeans for separating from the material to be reclaimed foreign matterthat is in it. While the separating means may have any construction ormode of operation desirable for the purpose, it is preferred in theillustrated embodiment of the present invention, that the separatingmeans perform a screening function. To this end, at the back of thechamber 8|, that is, above the uppermost vertical portion of the rearwall 139 of the container portion 42, each of the side walls is providedinteriorly with vertical and slightly spaced angle irons 03 which byreason of their spacing form ways for receivingr slidingly the framesides 84 of a screen 85. As shown in Fig. l, the screen 85 extendstransversely across the chamber 8|, completely filling the rea-r end ofthe passage therethrough, and terminating downwardly slightly below andin front of the upper edge of the rear wall 49 of the container portion42. The upper frame portion 8G of the screen 85 passes upwardly througha slot 0l (Fig. 6) in the top 02 so as to extend above the apparatus.Adjacent the front edge of the slot 8l the top 82 is reinforced by anangle iron 88 (see Figs. l, 5, 6, and 7), and adjacent the rear edge ofthe slot 8l' the top is provided with a reinforcing strip 3S.

The function of the screen 85 is to permit the passage therethrough ofthe material which it is desired to reclaim, while preventing thepassage of adhesive-bonded particles, lumps, pieces of broom, bristles,etc., or other foreign mattei'.

To achieve this screening action the operator of the apparatus directsthe discharge from the nozzles 70 and/or 'il against the screen 05, ithaving a mesh suitable for its intended purpose. Since the material tobe screened is withdrawn from the hopper 43 in the illustratedembodiment of the present invention, and since the screen S5 is locatedjust in front of the uppermost portion of the rear wall 4:3, it will beapparent, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, that any particles stopped by thescreen and not passing through it will fall back into the containerportion 42 and the hopper 43.

In order to collect for re-use the material which passes through thescreen 05 and which has had impurities and undesirable mattei' removedtherefrom, the illustrated embodiment of the present inventioncontemplates the provision of a second chamber Si) located behind andforming a continuation of the chamber 8|, and into which the reclaimedor screened material passes. The chamber 00 has substantially the sameheight as the combined heights of the container portion 43 and thechamber 6|, as shown in Figsl 2 and 3. Bounding the chamber S0 are aleft hand side wall 9|, which may be integral with the side wall portion80, a rear wall 52, a top 93, which may be a continuation of the top B2,and a right hand side wall comprising a lower panel 94 and an upperportion 95 forming an outlet duct leading to the inlet side of a motordriven exhaust fan or blower 96 provided with a bag 91, the purpose ofwhich will be described hereinafter. The chamber is supported by rearframe members 98 and by front frame members 99 and |00, the member 99being bent forwardly and downwardly, and then downwardly, as shown inFig. 2, so that for greater rigidity its lower end may be secured to abrace |0| extending between the front and rear frame members 4|.

Completing the chamber 90 is a front wall |02 located behind the rearwall 49 of the container portion 43, and a oor comprising a tray |03slidable on ways |04 (angle irons) mounted on the front wall |02 and therear wall 92 in such position that the tray |03 is located adjacent thebottom of the side wall 9 To facilitate the sliding of the tray |03 onthe ways |04, the front edge of the tray is provided with an upwardlybent lip |05, and the rear edge of the tray is reinforced againstbuckling by an angle iron |06 iixed to the under surface of the trayadjacent the rear edge.

With the above-described construction it will be seen that there isprovided a chamber 90 into which screened material passes, the portionof the chamber lying below the level of the screen 85 forming acontainer for holding any screened material dropping into it, and theslidable tray |03 affording means whereby the container may be emptiedof material. In order to facilitate the emptying of the container whenthe tray |03 is pulled out, the bottom edge of the panel S4, on theright hand side of the apparatus, is connected to a pan |01 (Figs. l, 2,and 3) which extends downwardly and to the left, as indicated in Fig. l,and is flanked on its sides by front and rear walls |08 and |09,respectively, depending vertically from the chamber 90. With thisconstruction the pan |01 and the walls |08 and |09 form a chute so thatwhen the tray is pulled on its ways |04, material dropping from thechamber 90 strikes the pan |01 and flows to its lower edge where it maybe caught in a suitable receptacle (not shown).

Viewing Fig. 1, it will be seen that while the screen 85 is anintersticed structure, permitting the passage therethrough of fiockparticles, yet by reason of the interstices being small enough toprevent the passage of lumps or undesirable foreign matter, the screenoffers to a limited eX- tent a resistance to the passage of the materialinto the chamber 90. The blowers 64 and 65 are preferably relativelysmall, but even if they were large so as to create a relatively greatair current, the passage resisting action of the screen B5 would stillbe present, and in View of the feltering tendency of material such asocks made of animal or vegetable fibres, much of the material wouldcling to the screen and only a small amount would pass through under theimpetus afforded by the air current from the blow ers. To prevent thisaction, that is, to insure that a maximum amount of material directed atthe screen 85 passes therethrough, the present invention contemplatesmaintaining a strong, material-entraining current of air through thescreen 85 and the passage formed by the chambers 8| and 90. The presentinvention also contemplates for this same purpose, when necessary, themaintenance of the screen 85 in an agitated condition while the materialis being directed against it.

As the first means of achieving this end the blower 96 is provided,being mounted on a platform ||0 supported by suitably braced front andrear frame members and H2, respectively, located rearwardly of thecontainer portion 42 and the hopper 43 an-d to the right of the chamber90, as will be seen by comparing Figs. 1 and 4. The blower 96 is ofrelatively large capacity so as to cause a strong'current of air toenter the front of the chamber 8|, pass through the screen 85, enter thechamber 9d, and then leave it by way of the outlet Q5. With thisconstruction and mode of operation it will be seen that as soon as thematerial discharged from the nozzles lil and/or enters the chamber 8l,the air current created by the blower 96 acts on the material in severalways. It first serves to entrain and add impetus to the dischargedmaterial to cause it to strike the screen with relatively great force ascompared to that which would be afforded by the current from the blowers64 or 65 alone. Balls or lumps of flock particles are in this mannerbroken up. Since the air current created by the blower 9S passes throughthe screen, this current also serves both to push and to pull throughthe screen interstices the material adjacent those interstces. Finally,the current created by the blower gli serves to entrain the screenedmaterial. As a consequence the air current from the blower 96 functionsto facilitate the passage of material to and through the screen and tobreak up lump formations, and acts to counteract the resistance whichthe screen offers tothe passage of material therethrough,

By reason of the inherent feltering and balling up tendency of flockssuch as those made of animal or vegetable fibres, even the air currentcreated by the blower il@ may be insuicient to cause a maximum amount offlock to pass through the screen. Stated in another way, it may be thatparticles or lumps of flock or foreign matter will collect on the screenand cover its interstices in spite of the action of the air currentcreated by the blower @t to cause the particles of flock to pass throughthe screen. When this takes place the effective size of the screenbecomes reduced, the particles matted together and ,clinging to eachother and to the screen serving to lower its efciency. In order toprevent or minimize the tendency of particles or lumps to cling to thescreen in opposition to the force of the air current for causing them topass through the screen, the illustrated embodiment ofthe presentinvention contemplates that any clinging material and foreign matter beconstantly shaken from the screen.

ATo this end, viewing Figs. l, 2, 3, 5, and 6, there projects forwardlyfrom the front face of the upper frame portion 86 of the screen 85 anarm ||3 having a flat under face resting on the curved surfaceof a cam llll. This cam is secured to one end of a shaft ||5 journaled in supports||6 secured to the horizontal web of the angle iron 38 at the right ofthe top 82, viewing Figs. 1 and 5, and the other end of the shaft 'H5 isprovided with a sprocket Hl. The teeth of this sprocket mesh with onebight of an endless chain H8, the opposite bight of which meshes withthe teeth of a sprocket HB journaled on one of the agitator shafts 5|).The shaft 5E] is extended outwardly to the right of the apparatus,viewing Fig. l, so that the sprocket H9 clears the cover plate 5E and isaligned with the sprocket! l'l. `In order to steady the shaft 5t,adjacent its sprocket end it is received in a bearing itil supported onan arm |2l extending forwardly from the frame member and in turnsteadied by a brace |22.

Referring again particularly to Fig. 6, it will be seen that the cam Iflis provided with a shoulder |23 connecting the opposite ends of thecurved surface on which the arm il?, rests. With this construction,together with the sprocket and chain construction described above, itwill be seen that when the sprocket shaft ff is rotated, i. e., when themotor 55 is in operation and the agitators are rotating, the motion ofthe shaft Si? is transferred by the chain i8 to the sprocket lll, sothat the shaft ll and the cam ill?. are caused to rotate. Since theshoulder lf3 on the cam provides that its curved surface is not circularor continuous, the rotation of the cam in engagement with the arm ||3causes the screen to rise and fall repeatedly. Since the shoulder 23 isabrupt, it will also be seen that although the screen 35 rises becauseof the changing height of 'the rotating earn surface, the screen 35falls by gravity as soon as thehigh point of the cam leaves the end ofthe arm H3. By making the screen t5 of relatively heavy construction, orat least causing the frame thereof to be relatively heavy, it will beseen that the screen will fall with considerable jar. As a result, thejarring of the screen will shake loose the material collected on it andwhich has not passed through. Somel of this material will fall back intothe hopper M5, while some particles will be drawn through theinterstices of the screen d thus cleared. ln either event, the removalfrom the screen in this manner of material collected on it maintains theeffective area of the screen $35 at a maximum and therefore permits amaximum screening cf material directed at the screen from without theentrance portion 42 and drawn towards the screen by the current of airset up by the blower 95.

The arm H3 is located centrally between the ends of the screen frameportion Sii so that the screen will rise vertically in its ways B3. Itwill beapparent that in the cam and arm construction describedabove thefall of the screen will ordinarily be measured by the height of theshoulder |23 of the cam, and that upon the withdrawal of the high pointof the cam from the arm H3, the gravitational effect of the fall of thescreen will cause the arm H3 to strike the cam, so that the arm would bethe stop for limiting the fall of the screen. As this might cause toogreat a strain on the arm H3 and the cam, it is preferred that the armand the cam function only in the raising of the screen, and that itsfall be limited by other means.

For this purpose the opposite ends of the rear face of the upper frameportion 86 of the screen are provided with brackets |2 (Figs. 6 and 7)to which bolts |25 are secured vertically with their heads directeddownwardly. Lock nuts |26 hold the bolts |25 in place and permit thevertical adjustment of the bolts, and the reinforcing strip 89 adjacentthe rear edge of the slot 8l forms a striking surface for the boltheads. With this construction the position of the bolts |25 can beadjusted so that their heads are spaced from the strip 89 a vdistanceslightly less than the height of the cam shoulder |23, thereby providingthat when the high point of the cam l@ leaves the end of the arm H3, andthe screen 35 falls, the heads of the belts |25 strike the strip 89 tostop the fall of the screen, and the end of the arm l i3 does not comedown on the cam |||l or engage it during the fall of the screen. As aconsequence, the fall of the screen imposes no strain on the arm I3, andno strain is imposed on the cam ||4 for the same reason.

In the statement above that the screen construction should be relativelyheavy so as to provide a jar in its fall sufllcient to shake loose fromthe screen particles collected or matted on it, a screen of metallicconstruction was primarily in mind. In View of the fact that it may notalways be possible to have a screen of such construction, or that in adifferent embodiment of the present invention a metallic screen wouldnot be desirable, means may be provided for causing the screen to jarsuiliciently, regardless of the weight of the materials of which it ismade.

For this purpose, the outer ends of the brackets |24 which support thebolts |25 extend beyond the sides of the apparatus as indicated in Figs.and '7, and are each provided with a depending eye |27 which receivesone end of a depending coil spring |28, the opposite end of which isclipped to an upstanding eye |29 carried by a bracket |30, the righthand bracket (Fig. 3) being supported on the side wall 89 adjacent theduct 95, and the left hand bracket (Fig. 2) being supported on the sidewall 899|. With this construction, the upward movement of the screen 85under the influence of the cam ||4 places the springs E 28 under tensionso that when the high point of the cam leaves the arm ||3, the springs|28 pull the screen 85 downward with considerable force, causing thebolts |25 in striking the strip 89 to impart a jar to the screen. Itwill be appreciated that the spring-return construction described inthis paragraph may be dispensed with when the screen 85 has suillcientWeight to cause gravity to impart thereto the necessary jar to shakefrom the screen the material clinging to it.

By reason of the construction described above it will be seen that amaximum amount of material passes through the screen 85 and is entrainedin the chamber 99 by the air current created by the blower 99. But ifthe chamber 99 had only the structure that has been described for itthus far, it will also be seen that the air current created by theblower 96 would cause most of the screened or reclaimed material to passout of the chamber 96 by way of the duct 95 and then into the blower 96and its exhaust bagr 97. Only a small amount would drop out of the aircurrent. While this mode of operation would be possible with a suitableblower and bag arrangement, it will be apparent that it would, somewhatin the manner of a bag type vacuum cleaner, require that periodicallythe bag be removed from the blower, be emptied, and then be replaced,during all of which the apparatus would be out of commission. As thespeed with which the tray |03 can be pulled out and then in again on itsways |94, is very great as compared to the time required to remove,empty, and replace the bag 97, it is desirable that means be providedfor causing as much as possible of the entrained screened material todrop out of the air current in the chamber 9|) and into the containerportion thereof, not passing out the outlet duct 95 and to the bag 97 atall.

To this end it is contemplated that the chamber 99 be provided with animpingement device which the entrained material strikes upon beingscreened and is caused by the impingement to drop out of the aircurrent. While the impingement device may take any one of a variety offorms or constructions, it is preferred in the illustrated embodiment ofthe present invention to provide a combined baille and impingementsurface |3| (Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4) lying in the path of flow of thegreater portion of the entrained screened material. The baille |3|comprises a vertical curved sheet having a height substantially that ofthe chamber 9| as indicated in Fig. 1, and is secured (Fig. 4) at itsright hand edge portion to the adjacent side of the outlet duct 95. Theupper edge of the baille |3| terminates adjacent the chamber top 93 andis secured there by a bracket |32. The baille extends rearwardly and tothe left of the chamber 99, with its rear vertical edge lying aboutmidway between the front and rear of the chamber 90 and spacedsufficiently from the side wall 9| of the chamber to provide ample roomfor the passage of air between it and the wall 9|.

With this construction it will be seen that the path of flow of thegreater portion of the entrained screened material is obstructed by thebaille 3| so that the material screened is caused to impinge on thebaille. The result of this impingement is that most of the entrainedmaterial drops out of the air current, dropping from the baffle |3| intothe container portion of the chamber 90 bottomed by the tray |03. Bycausing the baille |3| to extend across the greater portion of thepassage through the chambers 8| and 9U, only a relatively small portionof the entrained material passes beyond the baille and into the blower99 and its bag 97. As a consequence, the apparatus may be used for aconsiderable period before it is necessary to empty the bag of theentrained material collected in it, a period that is much longer thanwould be the case were means not provided for causing the bulk of thematerial entrained in the air current to drop from it before reachingthe chamber outlet duct 95.

The mesh of the screen 85 being suitable for its intended purpose, itwill be seen that foreign matter which it is desired to separate fromthe material does not pass through the screen, but is stopped thereby,dropping back into the hopper 43. Likewise, any material the lumps ofwhich have been broken up by impingement with the screen 85 eitherpasses through the screen or is shaken off and drops back into thehopper 43. This material is further agitated and stirred up in thehopper, eventually nding its way to the bottom thereof, where it isswept by the brush 59-60 into the tube 6| and is eventuallyre-discharged against the screen 85. While this mode of operationprovides that foreign matter may be discharged against the screen aplurality of times, it will be apparent that this foreign matter alwaysfalls back into the hopper, while the material to be reclaimed that didnot pass through the screen on the first discharge, for example,eventually does so on the next or later discharges. With a givenquantity of contaminated material initially in the container portion 42and the hopper 43, the natural result of a continued discharge of thematerial against the screen, involving a plurality of discharges forsome portions of the material, would be the presence in the container ofthe chamber 90 and in the bag 97 of all the material capable of beingscreened, and a residue in the hopper 43 of the undesirable materialwhich it is desired to separate out. It will be apparent, however, thatsince foreign matter does not pass through the screen 85, the containerportion 42 and the hopper 43 can be kept continually full of materialWithout interrupting the operation of the apparatus and without causingforeign matter in the ilrst lling to be eventually screened into thechamber 90. When it is desired to remove the foreign matter from thehopper 43, it is necessary merely to remove a panel (not shown) coveringan opening in the rearwall of the hopper 43, upon doing which thecontents of the hopper will flow down the chute 35 (Figs. 1 and 3).

It is believed that in view of the above descriptions of the variouselements of thel apparatus', little more need be said to explain its usefor reclaiming contaminated material. It will be noted that since thesprocket H9 is secured to an agitator shaft i), the screen 85 begins torise and fall whenever the motor 55 is turned on to rotate the agitators5l. As a consequence, the screen 85 is in a state of movement before theoperator depresses a pedal 'Il to cause the discharge of contaminatedflock from a nozzle 'Hl or 1l, and this movement continues after he hasremoved his' foot from the pedal Tl. In this manner provision is madethat the material discharged from the nozzles lil and Il strikes ascreen that is always in motion so that at all times during the use ofthe apparatus, no opportunity is aiforded for particles or lumps ofmaterial or foreign matter to cling to the screen and cut down itseffective screening area. 'Ihe blower 96 may have its own actuatingconnection or may be connected to the circuit of the motor 55. In eitherevent, the blower et is thrown into operation before the operatordepresses a pedal 11, so that a current of air is caused to flow throughthe passage formed by the chambers 8| and 9U and out the outlet 95before contaminated material is discharged against the screen 85. As aresult, this air current serves to facilitate the passage of material toand through the screen by reason of the entraining, pushing, and pullingeffect of the current, and the current cooperates with the agitation ofthe screen by causing material shaken loose therefrom or broken up topass into the chamber 90. Once in the chamber 9U the bulk of theentrained screened material strikes the baiiie I3I and drops' to thecontainer bottomed by the tray ID3. Any material not dropping to thecontainer but remaining entrained in the air current passes out theoutlet 95 to the bag 91 where it is saved and not wasted. As a result,the container in the chamber 90 and the bag 91 together insure that allthe screened material is collected for re-use. In re-using the reclaimedmaterial, it may be replaced in the hopper 133 and discharged throughthe nozzles 'lll and/or 'H at some surface to be coated. It will beunderstood, however, that instead of being replaced in the hopper 43,the reclaimed material may be placed in the containers used with anysuitable or well known applying apparatus.

Nothing herein explained is to be interpreted as limiting the variousfeatures of the present invention in the scope of its application to usein connection with the particular apparatus or the particular mode ofoperation orboth selected for purposes of illustration and explanation.While the particulars of construction herein set forth are well suitedto one mechanical form of the invention, to the use to which it is put,and to the method of reclaiming disclosed, it is not limited thereto norto the disclosed details of constructions nor to the conjoint use of alldisclosed features. It is not to be understood that these particularsare essential since they may be modified within the skill of the artisanwithout departing from the true scope of the actual invention,characteristic features of which are set forth in the following claimsby the intentional use of generic terms and expressions inclusive ofvarious modifications.

What is claimed as new is:

l. An apparatus for reclaiming material such as powder or iiock having,in combination, a container for the material to be reclaimed, ascreening device for separating from the material foreign mattercommingled therewith, and means operable for withdrawing the ccmmingledmaterial and foreign matter from the container and projecting themagainst the screening device, said screening device being so positionedwith respect to the container that foreign matter and also material notpassing through the screening device drop therefrom back into thecontainer for rie-withdrawal and projecting.

2. An apparatus for reclaiming material such as powder or noch, having,in combination, a container for the .material to be reclaimed, ascreening device for separating from the material foreign mattercommingled therewith, and fluid current means operable for withdrawingthe commingled material and foreign matter fro-m the container andprojecting them againstI` the screening device, said screening devicebeing so positioned with respect to the container that foreign matterand also material not passing through the screeningdevice drop therefromback into the container for re-withdrawal and projecting.

3, An apparatus for reclaiming material such as powder or flock having,in combination, a container for the material to be reclaimed, ascreening device for separating from the material foreign mattercommingled therewith, means operable for withdrawing the commingledmaterial and foreign matter from the container and projecting themagainst the screening device, and means for moving the screening deviceto prevent the accumulation of material and foreign matter thereat, saidscreening device being so positioned with respect to the container .thatforeign matter and also material not passing through the screeningdevice may drop therefrom back into the container for re-withdrawal andprojecting.

4. An apparatus for reclaiming material such as powder or flock having,in combination, a container for the material to be reclaimed, ascreening device for separating from the material foreign mattercommingled therewith, means operable for withdrawing the commingledmaterial and foreign matter from the container and projecting themagainst the screening device, and means for creating an air currentthrough the screening device to facilitate the action of the screeningdevice on the material projected against it and for carrying away fromthe screening device material that passes therethrough, said screeningdevice being so located with respect to the container that foreignmatter and also material not passing through the screening device maydrop therefrom back into the container for re-withdrawal and projecting.

5. An apparatus for reclaiming material such as powder or flock having,in combination, a container for the material to be reclaimed, ascreening device for separating from the material foreign mattercommingled therewith,.means operable for withdrawing the commingledmaterial and foreign matter from the container and projecting themagainst the screening device, means for moving the screening device toprevent the accumulation of commingled material and foreign matterthereat, and means for creating an air current through the screeningdevice to facilitate the action of the screening device on the materialprojected against it and for carrying away from the screening devicematerial that passes therethrough, said screening device being solocated with respect to the container that foreign matter and alsomaterial not passing through the screening device may drop therefromback into the container for rewithdrawal and projecting.

6. In an apparatus for reclaiming material such as powder or flock, thecombination with a passage-providing construction, a screen located inthe passage for separating from the material foreign matter commingledtherewith, and means for creating a current of air in the passagethrough substantially the entire area of the screen, of means, includinga conduit portion provided with a nozzle, operable for the projectionagainst the screen of a discharge of airentrained commingled materialand foreign matter, the area of the discharge end of the nozzle beingrelatively small as compared to the area of the screen, and the nozzleand conduit portion being so constructed that the discharge from thenozzle can be played about over the screen area.

'7. In an apparatus for reclaiming material such as powder or flock, thecombination with a passage-providing construction, an agitatable screenlocated in the passage for separating from the material foreign mattercommingled therewith, means for agitating the screen, and means forcreating a current of air in the passage through substantially theentire area of the screen, of means, including a conduit portionprovided with a nozzle, operable for the projection against the screenof a discharge of air-entrained commingled material and foreign matter.the area of the discharge end of the nozzle being relatively small ascompared to the area of the screen, and the nozzle and conduit portionbeing so constructed that the discharge from the nozzle can manually andat will be successively projected against different screen areaportions.

8. In an apparatus for reclaiming material such as powder or flock, thecombination with a passage-providing construction, a screening clevicelocated in the passage for separating from the material foreign mattercommingled therewith, air current creating means, including a manuallysupportable and movable conduit portion provided with a discharge nozzleso that the discharge from the nozzle can be played about over the areaof the screening device, operable for projecting the commingled materialand foreign matter in an unconned condition against the screeningdevice, and means separate from the rst air current creating means forcreating a current of air through the screening device and thepassage-providing construction to facilitate the action of the screeningdevice on the material projected against it and to carry away from thescreening device the material passing therethrough, of means forcollecting said screened material.

9. In an apparatus for reclaiming material such as powder or flock, thecombination with a passage-providing construction, a screening devicelocated in the passage for separating from the material foreign mattei'commingled therewith, air current creating means, including a manuallysupportable and movable conduit portion provided with a discharge nozzleso that the discharge from the nozzle can be played about over the areaof the screening device, operable for projecting the commingled materialand foreign matter in an unconfined condition against the screeningdevice, and means separate from the first air current creating means forcreating a current of air through the screening device and thepassage-providing construction to facilitate the action of the screeningdevice on the material projected against it and to carry away from thescreening device the material passing therethrough, of means for causingscreened material to drop out of the air current so that it may becollected for re-use.

WAYNE B. THOMPSON.

